Cutting edge of inner ear MRI.

Conclusion: Recent advances in clinical MR imagers, such as the 3-Tesla, multi-channel phased-array coil and novel pulse sequences, allow the evaluation of subtle alterations in the inner ear fluid environments and breakdown of the blood-labyrinthine barrier. Intratympanic injection of Gd-DTPA allows the imaging detection of endolymphatic hydrops in patients.

Objectives: To describe the current status of inner ear MRI and future directions for imaging.

Materials and methods: Based on our experiences and literature research, a brief review of the history and recent developments of inner ear MRI is presented.

Results: The 3D-FLAIR technique can detect abnormalities that could not be visualized previously in many inner ear diseases, such as sudden deafness, otosclerosis, lupus erythematosus, mumps, and Ramsay-Hunt syndrome. Imaging techniques, indications, and findings for the visualization of endolymphatic hydrops after intratympanic injection of Gd-DTPA are also discussed. This procedure enabled the visualization of endolymphatic hydrops in vivo. Newly developed 3D-real IR techniques and utilities of 32 channel coil are also presented.